Shoe sewing machine



A. BATES Feb. 21, 1933.;

SHOE SEWING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 21, 1933. A BATES I 1,898,521

-SHOE SEWING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 13% 120 i o o E 5kg 1 92 94 122 f; I 1

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Feb.21, 1933. v ABATES 1,898,521

SHOE SEWING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 66% 2 41 Y 5 nZ/erI/ZUr Feb. 21, 1933. A, BATES 1,898,521

SHOE SEWING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 21,1933

ururrn stares PATENT oFFic-E ABTHUR BATES, OF LElCEsTER ENGLAND, ASSIGNQR T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY OGRPORATION, OF EATER-SON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY SHOE SEWING MACHINE Application filed July 25,1929, Serial No. ssasee, and in Great Britain July a7, 1928.

This invention relates to sewing machines for use in the manufacture of boots or shoes and is particularly concerned with curved hook-needlemachines suitable for stitching together the sole and upper of turn shoe without a last in the shoe. The invention has especially in view the improvement of machines of the class just referred to which are used to sew turn slippers without previous lasting; machines of this latter character being described in the U. S patent to Bates No. 1,188,388, the U. S. patent to Voodcock No. 1,6898%, and in the specification of applioation for British Letters Patent No. 15883/28 upon which British Patent No. 317,921 issued.

In machines of the kind described in said specifications the work has heretofore been fed intermittently either solely by the needle itself when in the work, or else solelyby a feed foot engaging in a channel of the sole or feed point engaging either a face of the sole or the upper laid over the edge of the sole.

In such machines the length of feed stroke and therefore of the stitch is comparatively long (usually from a quarter to three-eighths of an inch) with the result that the work is fed through the machine in a series of quick teps or jerks. Such a quick jerky feed movement results in undesired strains being imposed upon the work and machine parts and with some work may result in loss of feed inovementjdue to the work engaging member slipping on the work or moving relatively thereto at the commencement of its feed movement before it grips and actually begins to feed the work and such jerky movement also does not tend to fast and easy working of the machine.

An object of thepresent invention is to overcome these difficulties and accordingly one of the several features of the present in- 1 vention is a machine for stitching together an unlasted upper and sole of a turn-shoe having a work-supportinghorn over which the shoe is moved. in forming a. seam around the shoe and stitch forming and workfeeding devices wherein work feeding devices are arranged to engage and feedthe work vention is a machine for stitching together an unlastedupper and sole of a turnshoe having a work-supporting horn over which the shoe is moved in forming a seam aroundthe shoe, stitch forming devlces and Work feeding devices arranged to engage and feed the work alternately so as to produce a continuous or substantially continuous feed of the work and a single adjusting means whereby the work feeding devices may be adjusted simultaneously to the same extent for varying the length of stitch. r

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of preferred forms of continuous feed mechanism which will be described as being embodied in machines of the kind described in the aforementioned specifications when fitted for sewing together an unlasted upper and a leather or combination i. e. felt and leather) sole.

Inthe accompanying drawings Fig. l is a front elevation showing part of a machine of the kind described in said patents and one preferred form of continuous feed 'mechanism embodied therein; Fig. 2 is a side elevat on, partly in section on the line 2 of Fig. l,

showingpart of workfeed mechanism of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view partly in section on approximately the line 3 of Fig. 1 of part of the continuous feed mech anism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is a chart showing the relative timing 6f the various parts of the machine shown in Figs. 1 to 3; Fig. 5 is a front elevation ofa similar machine but of the construction described in Specification No. 15883/28 aforesaid embodynism according to the present invention ;.Fig. 6 is a side elevation, to'an enlarged scale,

showing the needle, presser, back gauge and their supporting mechanism of the machine shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a plan view, partly mg a second form of continuous feed mocha in section on approximately the line 7 of Fig. 6, of some of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a front elevation, part1 in section on approximately the line 8 of 4 ig. 6, of the needle mechanism shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a front elevation of part of the second form of continuous feed mechanism; Fig. 10 is a side elevation, partly in section on approximately the line 10 of Fig. 9,0f part of the continuous feed mechanism shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partly in section on approximately the line 11 of Fig. 9, showing another part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an alternative feed device for use when operating on shoes having all leather soles; and Fig. 13 is a chart showing the relative timing of the various parts of the machine shown in Figs. 5 and 12.

In the said preferred forms of feed mechanism the work is fed at one time by the needle, presser, back-gauge and, it may be, the horn acting together and at another time by the usual feed member; the feeding movement of these members slightly overlapping so that one takes up the feed before the other finishes.

In the machine shown in Figures 1 to 3 which will first be described the needle 1 is, as usual in machines of this class, fixed in a lever 2 which is fixed on a spindle 3 rotatably mounted in the machine frame. The needle lever 2 is oscillated on the spindle 3, to carry the needle into and out of the work, by a link connected by universal joints to the needle lever and to a cam lever pivoted on the frame which is actuated by a cam on the cam shaft. In the form of mechanism, shown in Figures 1 to 3, the needle lever spindle 3, is also slidably mounted in the machine frame and passes through an arm 4 extending downwardly and forwardly from a needle feed slide 5 and the spindle 3 while being free to rotate in the arm 4 is caused to move axially with the feed-slide 5 in its feeding and return movements by a collar 6 on the spindle at one side of the arm 4- and a flange on the spindle 3 at the other side. The needle feed-slide 5 is mounted to reciprocate from left to right of the machine in a boss 7 projecting from the main feed slide 8 of the machine. The needle feed-slide 5 has pivotally mounted on it on a stud 9 extending rearwardly of the machine a bell-crank lever 10. One arm of the bell-crank lever extends upwardly and at its upper end is slotted at 11 radially from the pivot of the lever. The slot 11 receives a block rotatably mounted on a pin 12 projecting rearwardly from the upper end of an arm 13 which is fixed on the forward end of a rockshaft 14 extending rearwardly and rotatably mounted in the machine frame. The rockshaft 1% has fixed on its rear end an arm (not shown) which projects upwardly and has at its upper end a cam roll entering a cam groove in a feed cam 15 on the cam shaft 16 of the machine. The other arm of the bellcrank lever 10 extends downwardly and to the right (viewing the machine from the front) and at its outer end is pivotally connected at 17 to one end of a guiding link 18 which extends to the left from its connection to the bell-crank lever and at its left-hand end is pivoted at 19 to the left hand end of an adjustable arm 20 which at its right hand end is pivoted to a bracket 21 on the frame of the machine. As the bell-crank lever 10 is rocked on its pivot 9 on the needle feedslide 5 the guiding link 18 swings about its pivotal connection 19 to the adjustable arm 20 and the guiding link 18 by its pivotal connection to the bell-crank lever 10 moves the pivot 9 of that lever and therefore the needle feed-slide 5 across the machine. When the needle feed-slide is at the end of its feedin g movement the axis of the pivotal connection 17 between the bell-crank lever 10 and the guiding link 18 and the axis of the pivot of the adjustable arm 20 are in alignment and the adjustable arm 20 may be adjusted about its pivot to change the length of feed stroke of the needle without changing its position at the end of its feeding stroke.

The needle feed-slide 5 has projecting downwardly from it a second arm 221 in which is rotatably mounted a spindle 22 extending across the machine. This spindle 22 is arranged to rotate and slide axially in a bearing 23 on the machine frame and has fixed on it a presser or bender 2d of the usual form used in machines of this kind for pressing or bending down the edge of the work. The spindle 22 is caused to move axially with the needle feed-slide by the presser 24 engaging one side of the arm 221 on the feed slide and a collar 25 fixed on the spindle 22 and engaging the other side of the arm 221. Fixed on the left hand end of the spindle 22 is an arm 26 which extends upwardly and has connected to its upper end, by a universal j oint, the forward end of a connecting rod 27 which extends rearwardly and is connected by a second universal joint to one arm 28 of a cam lever pivoted on the machine frame the other arm 29 of which carries a cam roll entering a cam groove in a cam 30 on the cam shaft 16 of the machine. By this means the presser or bender 24 is swung into or out of engagement with the work as usual.

If the machine is fitted for combination work a feed point 31 is fixed on the bottom of a vertical bar 32 arranged to slide vertically in a bearing 33 on the main feed slide 8 of the machine. The bar 32 is urged upwardly by a spring and is depressed into engagement with the work by a lever 34 pivoted about midway of its length on the main feedslide and engaging the top of the bar 32 at its forward end. The rear end of the lever is gashed at 35 to receive a tooth 36 formed 65 it an arm 47 which at its'upper end is con-' on a hub-37 fixed on a shaft .38 rotatably mounted in a bearing on the machine frame and having fixed on it an arm 39 carrying a cam roll which enters a cam groove inthe cam on the cam shaft 16 of the machine. The tooth connection allows the lever 34 carried by the feed slide 8 to move with the feed slide in its feeding movements relatively to the hub 37.

"The main feed slide 8 has pivoted onit, on a horizontal stud 40'extending rearwardly of the machine, a bell-crank lever 41 one arm of which extends upwardly and carries a cam roll which enters the same cam groove as the cam roll associated with the needle feed mechanism but at the opposite side, i. e. the front side of the cam 15. The other arm of the bell-crank lever extends downwardly and to the right '(as viewed from the front of the machine) and is pivotally connectedat 42 to the right hand end of a second guiding link 43 which extends to the left and at its left'hand end ispivotally connected to the adjustable arm hereinbefore referred to in connection with the needle feed mechanismjby the same pivot 19 which connects the guiding link 18 associated with that inechanism to the adjustable arm. As the bell-crank lever 41 of the main feed slide 8 is rocked on its pivot the guiding link 43 swinging about its pivotal connection to the adjustable arm 20 causes the pivot 40 of the bell-crank lever to move laterally of the machine and the main feed slide to move-with it. When the main feed slide-is at" the end of its feeding stroke the axis of the pivotal connection 42 between the associated bellcrank lever 41 and its guiding link 43 and the pivot of the adjustable arm 20 are in alignment so that the adjustable arm 20 may be adjusted about its pivot to vary the length of feed stroke of themain feed slide without altering its position in the machine at the end of that stroke. It'has hereinbefore been stated that the needle feed may be varied by adjustment of the adjustable arm 20 and it will therefore be understood that the adj ustmentof both the needle feed and the feed by the feed 'foot or point is effected by the adjustment of a single member (i. e. tlieadjustable arm .20) and the arrangement is such that both are adjusted equally.

The horn 44 of themachine which is roxtatable' and capable of being raised and lowered by theoperator may in addition be positively rocked, in .the direction of feed of the work, on a horizontal pivot 45 extending forwardly and rearwardly of "the machine. In such case the horn and its raising and lowering mechanism are mounted'on a bracket 46 pivoted at 45 to the-frame of the machine. The pivot 45 is some seven nches directly below the tipof-the horn and the bracket 46 has exten'ding upwardly from "their feed strokes.

nected .by a link 48 to the arm 221 on the needle feed-slide which as hereinbefore described carries the presser orbender 24 so that the tip of the horn will be rocked about the pivot 45 of the horn as the needle and bender inovelaterally of the machine and in the same direction. The horn extends into the shoe, and its tip supports the shoe at a point di- 'rectly below the path of the needle as the shoe is fed over the horn in forming a seam extending around the shoe.

' The machine may be provided with mechanism whereby the length of feed (and therefore at any given machine speed, the speed of feed of the work through themachine) is controlled by rotation of the horn. If the machine is so fitted the adjustable arm 20 which controls the length of feed is connected to the horn so as to be adjusted about its pivot on the frame of the machine when the horn is rotated; The connection to the horn comprises a rod 50 which is pivoted at 51 to the adjustable arm 20 at its upper end and to a block 52 at its lower end. The block 52 is adjustable alongan arm 53 of a lever which is pivoted at. 54 tothe bracket 46. The other ar-m 55 of the lever carries a cam roll which is held by a spring against a cam 56 keyed to the horn spindle 57 so as to rotate therewith but allow the horn to rise and fall without carrying the cam with it. The cam is so. formed that when thehorn is swung in sewing round the end of the shoe, the feed length is reduced. By adjusting the block '52 along the arm 58 the amount of adjustment of thefeed'by rotation of the horn may be varied. Ifsuch a feed controlling mechanism isnot used the adjustable arm 20 may be manually adjusted locked in anyconvenient way in adjusted position-or may be connected to to be quickly adjustable.

about its pivot and a treadle so as It hasbeen hereinbefore stated thatthe positions of the needle and feed point or footlat the ends ofthei-r feeding movement remainconstant and any adjustment of their feed'strokes takes place at the beginning of lVith this arrangement therefore any adjustment to reduce the amount of 'feed results in the needle at the beginningof' its feed stroke being positioned at a different distance'from the constant position of the feed foot or point at the endof its feed stroke.

The approximate time, in a single c cle of the machine-at which the various devices commenceand finish their operation will now be set-forth flllClWlll be taken from a zero position which will be regarded as the normal stopping position of the machine.

' The needle: (see A Figure 4) at this Zero position is back and out of the work and it commences to move forward towards the work at 50. It reaches its forward position at 120, starts to move back at 270 and reaches its fully back position at 340.

The needle (seeB Figure 4) at the zero position has nearly finished its feeding movement. It finishes at 5 and immediately commences to return. It finishes its return movement at and immediately commences its feeding movement.

The presser or bender (see C Figure 4) at the Zero position is rising. It has fully risen at 45 and immediately commences to fall reaching its lowest position at 90 and again commences to rise at 335.

The feed foot or point (see D Figure 4) at the zero position is down. It commences to rise at 150, is fully up at 185. commences to fall at 230 and reaches its lowest posi tion again at 265 and remains down to the zero position.

At the zero position the feed foot or point (see E Figure 4) is part way along its feeding stroke. It finishes its feeding movement at 185 and immediately commences to return it finishes its return movement at 235 and immediately commences to feed.

The looper (see F Figure 4) commences to loop the thread round the needle at 200 and finishes at 290.

The thread finger operates in the manner and at the time which is usual in machines of this class.

In the machine shown in Figures 5 to 12 the needle is fixed in an arm 61 which is rotatably mounted on a sleeve 62 and is prevented from moving axially thereof by a needle guide 63 at one end and an arm 64 clamped on the other end. The sleeve is slidably and rotatablv mounted on av spindle 65 which is fixed in a bracket 66 fixed to the head 67 of the machine. The needle carrying arm 61 is oscillated on the sleeve 62 by a link 68 connected by universal joints to the arm 61 and to a cam lever 69 pivoted on the bracket 66 and carrying a cam roll which enters a cam groove in a cam 70 on the cam shaft 71 of the machine. The arm 61 has formed in it a groove 72 and a groove 73. The groove 72 receives an arcuate tongue 74 formed on a feed member 75 and the groove 73 receives a plate 76 fixed on the member 7 5'. The plate 76 and tongue 74 guide the arm 61 in its oscillating movements and cause it and therefore the needle to move with the feed member 75 in its feeding movements. The feed member 75 has fixed on it, so as to be adjustable vertically, a back gauge 77 and the member 75 has fixed to it a bracket 78 which has rotatably mounted in it a spindle 79 projecting from an arm 80 which has fixed on it a presser or bender 81. The spindle 79 has clamped on its end an arm 82 having connected to it by a universal joint one end of a rod 83. The other end of the rod 83 is connected to a cam lever (not shown) pivoted on the bracket 66 and carrying a cam roll which enters a cam groove in a cam on the cam shaft 71.

The feed member 75 is fixed on a bar 84 which is slidingly mounted in the bracket 66 and in a bracket 85 fixed on the head 67 of the machine and slides on a bar 86 fixed in the bracket 66. The bar 84 has fixed to it a block 87 to which is pivoted at 88 a link 89 the other end of which is pivoted at 90 to a link 91 and to a link 92. The link 91 is pivotally connected at 93 to a feed controlling member consisting of two arms 94, 94 pivoted to the bracket 85. The link 92 is pivotally connected at 95 to a cam lever 96 which has projecting from it a sleeve 97 rotatably mounted in a bearing 98 on the bracket 66. The cam lever 96 carries a cam roll 99 which enters acam groove in the cam 70 on the cam shaft 71. When the cam lever 96 is oscillated by its cam it swings, through the link 92, the link 91 about its pivot 93 and through the link 89 it moves the bar 84 endwise to give to the needle 60, back gage 77 and bender 81 their work feeding movements. By adjusting the feed controlling member 94 about its pivot the path of movement of the pivot 90 and therefore the amount of feed movement by the needle in a single cycle of the machine may be varied.

When operating on combination work a feed point 101 is used to feed the work at the time when the needle is not doing so. The feed point 101 is fixed in a bar 102 slidably mounted in a bearing 103 which is fixed to a feed member 104 slidably mounted on the bar 84. The bar 102 is actuated from the cam shaft 71 through connections, not shown, to move the feed point toward and from the work. The feed member 104 has pivotally connected to it at 106 one end of a link 107 the other end of which is pivotally connected at 108 to a link 109 and to a link 110. The link 109 is pivotally connected at 111 to the feed controlling member 94 and the link 110 is pivotally connected at 112 to an arm 113 which is fixed on a shaft 114 having a bearing in the sleeve 97 and in the bracket 66 and passing beneath the cam shaft 71. The shaft 114 has fixed on its rear end an arm which carries a cam roll arranged to enter the same cam groove as the roll 99 but at the rear of the cam and spaced 180 round the cam shaft from the roll 99. As the arm 113 is oscillated it swings through the link 110 the link 109 about the pivot 111 and through the link 107 moves the feed member 104 along the bar 84 to cause the feed point 101 to feed the work. By adjusting the feed controlling member 94 the path of movement of the pivot 108 and therefore the amount of movement imparted to the feed member 104 in a single cycle of the machine may be varied. It will be understood therefore that by an adjustment of the single controlling member 94 the amount of feed movement of both the needle and the feed point in a single cycle of the machine may be varied.

The axis of the pivot 90 is. substantially in alignment with the aXis of the pivot ofvthe feed controlling member 94 when the thread is being wrapped round the needle by the 5 looper so that the relationship between the needle and looper during such looping remains constant irrespective of variation in the. length of needle feed. When the feed controlling member 94 is adjusted to vary the length of feed the actual feeding movements of both the needleand the feed point are adjusted substantially an equal amount and the total movements in the direction of feed of these two are also. substantially equal.

The length of feed movement of the needle is varied equally at each side of that portion of theneedle feed movement when the looper is wrapping the thread round the needle and the length of feed movement of the feed point is varied so that the feed point at the end of its feeding movement and the needle at the beginning of its feeding movement are the same distance apart irrespective of variation in the length of feed.

The feed controlling member 9% has an arm 115 to which may be connected a treadle by whi ch the member 94; may be swung in one direction to vary the length offeed and in the other direction by. a spring attached to the member 94 and to the bracket 85. The bracket 85 has formed in it .a number of holes 116 in which pins may be placed to form stops, for a lug 117. on the member 94, between whichthe member 94 may be quickly moved to vary the length of feed from one predetermined amountto another. The bracket 85 has formed in it an arcuate slot 118 which is concentric to the ax s of the feed controlling member 94 and the pivot 93' projects through the slot 118 and has on it a collar 119 and a nut 120 by which the feed controlling member 94 may be locked in any position if desired.

If the machine is fitted with a feed foot engaging in the channel of a leather sole instead of a feed point the feed foot 250 (Figure 12) is fixed on a lever 251 pivoted at 252 to the feed member 104. The lever 251 is slotted to engage a pin 253fixed in the cam lever which moves the feed point towards and from the work and as the cam lever is rocked on its pivot by its cam it swings the feed foot 250 about the pivot 252 towards and from the bottom of the channeL- I The machine isprovided with a looper 121, a thread finger 1122, a thread take-up 123, an auxiliary take up 124Eand a work-supporting horn all of which may be ofusual and well known construction.

The approximate time, in a single cycle of the machine last described, at which the various devices commence and finish their operation will now be set forth and will be taken from a zero position which will be regarded as. the normal stopping position of the machine.

The presser or bender (see G Figure 13) at the zero position is up, it begins to. move down at 35 and reaches it lowest position at 65. It begins to move up at 330 and reaches its fully raised position at 360.

The looper (see H Figure 13) performs its needle threading operation between 145 and 245.

' The thread finger (see I Figure 13) at the zero position is forward, it begins to move back at 125 and reaches its back position at 155. "It begins to move forward at 255 and reaches its forward position at 285.

The needle (see J Figure 13), at the zero position is back, it immediately begins to move forward and at 55 has moved forward one-sixteenth of an inch. At 125 it is fully forward and begins to move back at 265 reaching its fully back position at 330.

Thetake-up (see K Figure 13) at the zero position is down, it begins to rise to take up thread at 55 is fully raised at 125 and im mediately begins to. move down. It dwells in its downward movement between 230 and 255 and reaches its lowest position at 335.

The needle in its movements along the line of feed (see L Figure 13) is, at the zero position, returning after a movement in the direction of feed. It finishes its return movement at 60 and immediately begins to move in the direction of feed, finishing this movement at 330 and immediately commencing to return.

The feed point or foot (see M Figure13) at the zero position is part way along its movement in the direction of feed. It reaches the end of its movement in this direction at 150 and immediately begins to return. 'It finishes its return movement at 2 10 and immediately begins to. move in the direction of feed.

The feed point or foot (see N Figure 13). in its rising and falling movements is, at the zero position down. It beings to' rise at 80 and is fully up at 150. It begins to move down at 240 and reaches its lowest position at 310. i

The invention having-been described what is claimed is:

1. A shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe having, in combination, stitch forming andwork feeding devices including a curved hook needle, a shoe entering horn over which the shoe is moved in forming a seam around the shoe, a member for holding the upper against the sole a feed memben'and means for actuating'these parts to impart a continuous feeding movement to the work.

2. A shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved hook needle, a shoe entering .horn over which the shoe is moved in forming a seam around the shoe, and a member for holding the upper against the sole movable simultaneously in the line of feed, and a feed member movable relatively to the said parts in the line of feed and cooperating therewith to impart a continuous feeding movement to the work.

3. A shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved hook needle, a member for holding the upper against the sole, a carrier to which these parts are connected to reciprocate in the line of feed, a shoe entering horn over which the shoe is moved in forming a seam around the shoe adapted to reciprocate with the carrier in theline of feed, and a feed member movable relatively to said parts in the line of feed and cooperating therewith to impart a continuous feeding movement to the work.

4. A shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved hook needle, a member for holding the upper against the sole, a work supporting horn over which the shoe is moved in forming a seam around the shoe, a feed member, means for relatively moving these parts to impart a substantially continuous feeding movement to the work, and means acting automatically to reduce the stitch length while the stitching is progressing around an end of the shoe.

5. In a shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe provided with awork supporting horn, devices engaging the work intermittently to perform an operation on the work and cooperating with the horn to feed the work, carriers to which said devices and horn are connected arranged to reciprocate along the line of feed, mechanisms for actuating said devices and reciprocating said carriers to impart a continuous feeding movement to the work, and means for adjusting said mechanisms automatically to vary the length of stitch at predetermined points in the operation on a shoe.

6. In a shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe provided with a work supporting horn, devices engaging the work intermittently to perform an operation on the work and cooperating with the horn to feed the work, carriers to which said devices and horn are connected arranged to reciprocate along the line of feed, mechanisms for reciprocating the carriers alternately in the line of feed to impart a continuous feeding movement to the work, and means controlled by the horn for adjusting said mechanisms to vary the length of stitch.

7. A shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved hook needle, a feed member, a shoe entering horn over which the shoe is moved in forming a seam around the shoe, a member for holding the upper against the sole on the horn, a plurality of mechanisms for reciprocating said devices along the line of feed timed to back feed certain of said devices during the feeding movement of other of said devices, adjusting means for adjusting said devices, and mechanism for automatically controlling said adjusting means to provide a shorter stitch at the toe of the shoe.

8. A shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices intermittently and alternately acting on the work including a curved hook needle, a shoe entering horn for supporting the work over which the shoe is moved in forming a seam around. the shoe, a member for bending over and holding the upper against the sole, a work positioning gage, a feed member, and mechanisms for moving the devices in the direction of feed while in active engagement with the work and for alternately moving them in the opposite direction while out of active engagement therewith to secure a continuous feed of the work.

9. A shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved hook needle, a member for bending over and holding a margin of unlasted upper against the sole, and a work positioning gage, these parts being arranged to move together in the line of feed, and a feed member movable relatively to said parts in the line of feed and cooperating therewith to impart a continuous feeding movement to the work.

10. A shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved hook needle movable in the line of feed to feed the work, a feed member movable relatively to said needle and cooperating therewith to impart a continuous feeding movement to the Work, a needle threading device, means for actuating said device to place thread in the needle hook, and means for adjusting the movement of the needle in the line of feed to vary the length of stitch while maintaining unchanged the timing of the needle at that portion of its feeding movement when the needle is being threaded by the needle threading device.

11. A shoe sewing machine for sewing an unlasted shoe having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a curved hook needle, a feed member, two carriers to which these parts are connected arranged to reciprocate along the line of feed, a needle threading device, mechanism for actuating said elements and reciprocating said carriers to impart a continuous feeding movement to the work, and adjusting means for varying the movement of the said carriers to vary the length of stitch While maintaining constant the timing of the needle carrier at that portion of its movement when the needle is being threaded by the needle threading device.

12. A shoe sewing machine for sewing the unlasted uppers to the soles of turn shoes having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices including a hook needle, a- Work feeding member, a needle threading device, carriers to which the needle and the work feeding member are connected adapted to reciprocate in the line of feed, a support acljustably positioned about a fixed axis, a swinging arm for each carrier mounted on the support, connections for connecting each arm. to the corresponding carrier, a cam and suitable connections for actuating each arm arranged so that an adjustment of the support will vary the length of movement of the carriers without varying the timing of the needle carrier at that portion of its movement when the needle is being threaded by the needle threading device.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR BATES. 

